Moneycontrol PRO
HomeNewsTrendsFeaturesGita Piramal: I hope readers will consider the Bajaj history and cherry pick those events which most interest them

Gita Piramal: I hope readers will consider the Bajaj history and cherry pick those events which most interest them

"Through Rahul Bajaj's rich and fascinating life, the book also captures the story of an evolving India over several decades."

April 03, 2022 / 08:46 IST
Gita Piramal is the author of 'Rahul Bajaj: An Extraordinary Life'.

Journalist Gita Piramal has known the Bajaj family for many years. This comes through also in her recent biography of Rahul Bajaj, Rahul Bajaj: An Rahul Bajaj_By Gita PiramalExtraordinary Life. An email interview with Piramal about the book and Rahul Bajaj's leadership:

You have written about Rahul Bajaj previously in 'Business Maharajas', in which you also touched upon aspects of his personality and approach to work. How does the new book compare?

Business Maharajas is a compendium featuring eight businessmen including Dhirubhai Ambani, Rahul Bajaj, Aditya Birla, R.P. Goenka and Ratan Tata.

The Rahul Bajaj book is a one-person biography, so naturally the two books are very different. It is a comprehensive history of his life, and through his rich and fascinating life, it also captures the story of an evolving India over several decades.

My latest book took over a year to put together - lockdowns and challenges in accessing data and business information are just two areas that perforce slowed the writing, despite our awe of digital technology.

You write in the introduction that the book looks at Rahul Bajaj’s life and contributions through three lenses:
i) The Leadership Lens
ii) The intersection of business, government, and society
iii) Building a lasting legacyCould you give us your favourite anecdotes from the book that capture any one of these?

Chapter 11, 'The Difficulty of Being Good' may interest your readers. Bajaj and Rupa returned from the Harvard Business School in the mid-1960s. This was the era of the scooter. Production was closely licensed by the MRTP Commission (monopolistic and restrictive trade practices commission). Rahul Bajaj's father, Kamalnayan, put Rahul on the job of trying to obtain permissions for increased production. It clearly illustrates the intersection of business, government and society.

Chapter 27, 'The Waltz Of The Insurance Moguls' is another chapter which may interest your readers, especially pg 201+, where Bajaj considers his options.

Regarding 'a lasting legacy', I hope readers will consider the Bajaj history and cherry pick those events which most interest them.

Of course, every reader will have a different and distinct view of this book in his/her hand.

Rahul Bajaj passed away a few weeks before the book came out. Had he seen the manuscript/a draft of it? Did you have any inkling at the time of writing that he may be nearing the end of his life?

No comments.

Moneycontrol News
first published: Apr 3, 2022 08:40 am

Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!

Subscribe to Tech Newsletters

  • On Saturdays

    Find the best of Al News in one place, specially curated for you every weekend.

  • Daily-Weekdays

    Stay on top of the latest tech trends and biggest startup news.

Advisory Alert: It has come to our attention that certain individuals are representing themselves as affiliates of Moneycontrol and soliciting funds on the false promise of assured returns on their investments. We wish to reiterate that Moneycontrol does not solicit funds from investors and neither does it promise any assured returns. In case you are approached by anyone making such claims, please write to us at grievanceofficer@nw18.com or call on 02268882347